Resignations Shake Up Flood Protection Authority in New Orleans

Experts warn politics now dominate the agency responsible for $14 billion in flood defenses.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 6:55pm

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Two recent resignations from the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East have left the agency with only commissioners appointed by Louisiana's governor, a drastic departure from the reforms made after Hurricane Katrina to make the board nonpolitical and professional. Debbie Settoon, a former engineer commissioner, says politics have taken over the agency, with alleged physical confrontations and attempts to push out non-political appointees. Experts warn the authority is now more focused on politics than maintaining the region's critical $14 billion flood protection system.

Why it matters

The Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East is responsible for operating and maintaining the flood defense system for the New Orleans metro area, which was devastated by Hurricane Katrina's levee failures in 2005. The reforms after Katrina were intended to depoliticize the agency and ensure it was run by flood protection experts, but the recent changes have raised concerns that politics could now compromise the region's flood readiness.

The details

Debbie Settoon, a former commissioner with three years of experience, resigned this week, saying the agency has become demoralized and is no longer focused on its core mission of flood protection. She alleges there have been political clashes and even a physical confrontation, with the head of the agency's police force pressing charges after Settoon allegedly punched his arm. Settoon denies the allegations and says the charges were an attempt to push her off the board. With Settoon's resignation and that of another non-political appointee, the board is now entirely composed of commissioners appointed by Louisiana's governor, a drastic change from the post-Katrina reforms.

  • Debbie Settoon resigned from the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East this week.
  • In October 2025, Settoon allegedly had a physical confrontation with the head of the agency's police force.

The players

Debbie Settoon

A former engineer who served as a commissioner on the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East for three years before resigning this week, citing political interference in the agency.

Joshua Rondeno

The head of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East's police force, who pressed charges against Settoon after the alleged physical confrontation in October 2025.

Jeff Landry

The governor of Louisiana, who has been granted greater appointment power to the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East, leading to a board now composed entirely of his political appointees.

Windell Curole

A longtime levee expert from Lafourche Parish and the former chairman of the committee that nominated members for the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East, who is concerned the agency is now more focused on politics than flood protection.

L. Jeff Williams

The regional director of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority East, who did not address the alleged confrontation between Settoon and Rondeno in the agency's statement.

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What they’re saying

“It's demoralizing. It's shorting the taxpayers of what they've paid for post-Katrina, which could very easily happen again. They paid us to be focused on flood protection, but that hasn't happened in the last year.”

— Debbie Settoon, Former Commissioner (fox8live.com)

“We're not living up to the intent of the law. The intent of the law was to make it a nonpolitical, professional-based board that would provide the best flood protection for New Orleans.”

— Windell Curole, Levee Expert (fox8live.com)

“The situation has gone where it's hard to say that keeping floodwaters out of New Orleans is being talked about more than anything else since the new group has gotten in.”

— Windell Curole, Levee Expert (fox8live.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Debbie Settoon to have the misdemeanor battery charge against her dropped.

The takeaway

This situation highlights the risks of allowing politics to dominate an agency responsible for critical flood protection infrastructure, raising concerns that the region's hard-won flood defenses could be compromised by political infighting and a lack of focus on the core mission of keeping New Orleans safe from future disasters.